Welcome to Summer Gourmet Night - May 30, 2012

Avocado Bean Dip - Nabby


1 15 oz can of white beans(navy beans), drained
1 avocado-mashed
1/2 cup salsa (I prefer the pico de gallo variety)
1/4 cup finely chopped green onions
2 Tb chopped diced green chilis (I use canned
)2 Tb chopped cilantro
1 Tb lemon juice
1/4 +1/8 tsp salt
Combine all ingredients and serve with chips!




Spinach Avacado Salad ---Donna Burton

3 headache romaine lettuce 
1bag spinach
 1cup bacon bits 
1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
 3/4 cup chopped red onion
 1cup craisins
 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
 3 avacados, sliced (she added 1 more) 
CroutonsSliced or slivered almonds, toasted

Dressing
3/4 T. Poppy seeds 
1/3 c. White vinegar 
1/3 c. Olive oil 
1/3c. Sugar ( she used Algave) 
1/4 c. Grated onion 
3/4 tsp. salt 
2 T. Prepared mustard (yellow)

My Favorite Pasta Salad 
1 box of orzo pasta (I usually do  bowtie or penne instead)
1/3 C fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/3 C extra virgin olive oil
1/4 C capers
1/3 C toasted pine nuts
1/2 C Calmatta olives, pitted (I often leave these out)
2 roma tomatoes, diced
1/4 lb feta
fresh basil leaves
lemon zest from 2 lemons
salt and pepper to taste
Cook orzo per box's instructions. Drain. Mix lemon juice, olive oil and
salt and pepper together and then pour over orzo. Add capers, toasted pine
nuts, olives, fresh basil and lemon zest. Stir well. Mix in diced tomatoes
and feta right before serving.

Baked Beans - Chelsey Adams
1/2 lb. bacon
1 onion, chopped
2 (15 oz.) cans pork and beans
1 (16 oz) can butter beans or great northern beans
1 (16 oz) can kidney beans
1/2 C. brown sugar
1 C. ketchup
3 TB vinegar
1 tsp salt
pepper to taste
1 TB liquid smoke

Brown onion; fry and crumble bacon.  Do not drain beans.  combine ingredients and bake uncovered 2-3 hours in a 325 degree oven.

Watermelon- Mint - Feta Salad

• 1 7-8 lb. seedless watermelon, chilled
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 3 limes, juiced
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 3/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 cup fresh chopped mint leaves
• 1 1/2 cups crumbled feta cheese (goat or sheep milk feta is best, but any feta is good)
• 
  
• Sweet Corn Bread
• 
  
• ½ cup cornmeal
• 1 ½ cups flour
• 2/3 cups sugar
• 1 Tablespoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 
  
• Preheat oven to 350. Combine dry ingredients in a medium bowl and set
• aside. Mix wet ingredients in a small bowl. Pour wet mixture into dry
• mixture and mix. Pour into a greased 8X8 square pan. Bake 35 minutes.
• 
  
• Wet ingredients:
• 
  
• 1/3 cup oil
• 3 Tablespoons melted butter
• 2 eggs
• 1 ¼ cups milk
• 
  
• 
  
• Cinnamon Honey Butter - Barefoot Contessa
• Ingredients
  
  • 1/4 pound unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 3 tablespoons good honey
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
  Directions
  
  Combine the butter, honey, cinnamon, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Serve at room temperature.
• 
  
• Pork Sandwiches with Cilantro-Jalapeno Slaw - Pioneer Woman
  

  Ingredients

  • 1 whole Onion, Peeled And Quartered
  • 1 whole Pork Butt (pork Shoulder Roast)
  • Salt And Pepper
  • 1 can (11 Ounce) Chipotle Peppers In Adobo Sauce
  • 2 cans Cola (Dr Pepper, Coke, Etc.)
  • 2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
  • 12 whole Good Quality Kaiser Or Deli Rolls
  • 12 Tablespoons Butter
  • 1/2 head Cabbage, Sliced Thin
  • 1/2 head Purple Cabbage, Sliced Thin
  • 1 whole Jalapeno, Halved Lengthwise And Thinly Sliced
  • 1/2 cup Whole Milk
  • 1/2 cup Mayonnaise
  • 1 teaspoon White Vinegar
  • 1 Tablespoon Sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon Salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
  • 2 cups Cilantro Leaves, Barely Chopped

  Preparation Instructions

  MEAT

  Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

  Generously salt and pepper the pork roast, then set it on top of the onions in the pan.

  Pour the can of chipotle peppers over the pork (include the sauce.) Pour in both cans of Dr Pepper. Add brown sugar to the juice and stir in.

  Place lid tightly on pot, then set pot in the oven. Cook for at least six hours, turning roast two or three times during the cooking process. Check meat after six hours; it should be absolutely falling apart (use two forks to test.) If it’s not falling apart, return to the oven for another hour.

  Remove meat from pot and place on a cutting board or other work surface. Use two forks to shred meat, discarding large pieces of fat. Strain as much of the fat off the top of the cooking liquid as you can and discard it. Return the shredded meat to the cooking liquid, and keep warm until ready to serve. (You can also refrigerate the meat and liquid separately, then remove hardened fat once it’s cold. Then heat up the liquid on the stovetop and return the meat to the liquid to warm up.)

  SLAW

  Combine shredded cabbage and sliced jalapenos in a bowl. In a separate bowl mix milk, mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, salt, and cayenne. Pour over cabbage. Toss to combine. Cover and refrigerate two hours.

  Before serving, toss in cilantro leaves.

  SANDWICHES

  Butter both halves of Kaiser rolls, then brown them on a griddle or skillet until golden and crisp on the surface. Load up each sandwich with shredded pork, then REALLY load them up with the slaw.

  The magic is in the combination of the hot liquid from the meat and the cool, creamy liquid from the slaw.
• 
  

Strawberry Trifle
2 8-oz pkgs. cream cheese (I used the reduced fat/Neufatchel)
2 c. powdered sugar
1 c. sour cream (light works great)
1 1/2 t. vanilla extract, divided
1/4 t. almond extract (optional)
1/2 pint whipping cream
4 T. sugar, divided
1 angel food cake, cubed
2 qts. strawberries, sliced.

Cream together cream cheese and powdered sugar.  Add sour cream, 1/2 t. vanilla, and almond extract; set aside.  Blend whipping cream, remaining vanilla, and one Tbl sugar.  Fold into cream cheese mixture.  Add angel food cake pieces.  Combine strawberries and remaining sugar.  In a a large glass bowl, layer strawberries, then cake mixture.  Continue layering, ending with strawberries as top.